1. Field of the Invention
Disclosed is an apparatus for drip watering plants with a generally continuous flow of water rather than an applied pool of water. More precisely, a portable container having an automated filing system and passive drip delivery means is provided.
2. Description of the Background Art
Various watering devices have been developed in the past. Many of these devices permit a user to spot water various locations with sporadic applications of limited water.
Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 2,375,860 discloses an irrigation appliance having a combined support and water delivery hollow spike. The spike is inserted into the ground to be watered. Water is held in an upper first container and percolated into a lower second container having a fertilizer. The fertilizer solution then exits into the spike and, via apertures in the distal end of the spike, escapes from the device to water the ground.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,026,827 relates a plant watering and feeding device having a perforated spike that is inserted into the ground for delivering water. Included is a plant food container and associated valves for selectively extracting the food into the delivered water.
Related in U.S. Pat. No. 3,168,224 is a drip feed device. The apparatus is clamped to the rim of a soil containing pot. Water is delivered from a reservoir container into a tilt basin, via an adjustable drip valve. When the tilt basin is filled it tips and applies the water to the soil.
A siphon tank water delivery system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,272,225. Various tubes, valves, and containers permit a desired amount of water to be conveyed to the plant.
Attached to a siphon-type water delivery apparatus is a hollow spike that is inserted into the ground to be watered and controls the delivery of additional water as related in U.S. Pat. No. 3,856,205. When the ground becomes dry, the hollow spike communicates this condition to the device by allowing air to pass into a controlling system that then delivers water to the ground to once again turn off the delivery when the ground is wet, thus blocking air passage into the controlling system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,582 discloses a tree irrigator that comprises a tree encircling container. An outer support container holds an inner water container. In the bottom of the water container is a water exit hole. In the bottom of the outer support container are holes for delivering the water to the tree. Between the inner and outer container are a support pad, spacers, and a wire mesh for aiding in structural support and drainage.
A gravel-fertilizer packet for potted plants is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,951. A water permeable fertilizer packet is placed in the bottom a planting pots to aid in feeding the plant and in preventing loss of soil through the pot's drain hole.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,212,905 presents a plant watering device comprising a cylindrical reservoir that surrounds the plant. The device contains an adjustable drip valve means in fluid communication with the reservoir that delivers water or nutrients dropwise to the plant.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,252,302 discloses a liquid fertilizer apparatus that utilizes a container that holds a porous sack of nutrients. Water is manually introduced into the container and then allowed to exit slowly through an adjustable valve and onto a plant.
The subject device expands upon and improves the prior art by permitting a user to employ an easily constructed, relatively inexpensive, and effective way to water plants with a virtually continuous flow of water.